Tears of the elate
by Piccolosdragon
Summary: In today’s top stories, Police are still helpless in solving the disturbing increase in the cities kidnappings of young teenagers... Also in the news, the death of Scientist Professor Jordon Perry in what is being labeled an apparent suicide. AU. EPIC
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note:**

Hiya there, this is the first story I have written and posted in more than a year, I have been a written of Dragonball Z/GT stories before this and they were reasonable liked by people. I have always loved this series too, so I thought I would give it a try… so moving on

-This story is an AU and begins from the end of Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Secret of the Ooze Movie. It's set around 2 years after the movie….If any of the characters appear of out character then I do apologies.

-Disclaimer: I do not own teenaged mutant ninja turtles characters.

-Please do not steal any of the original characters I created, they were created by me for the sole purpose of this story.

-**Warning:** _This story does involve violence, language and adult themes, if you are under the age please turn back now! You have been warned_!

* * *

**Tears of the elate**

**Chapter 1 (Prologue)**

_BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – Saturday 28th July at 2:15am_

The music went up as the front door to no. 17 Juniper Street opened and three young teenagers James, Michael and Marco stumbled out the door. Moderately drunk they leave the house party, run by of their class mate Lauren Burke, intent on finding fresh entertainment. James is the least drunk, snatching the keys dangling between Marco's fingers.

"Relax man ill drive" he mumbles, Marco reaches out grabbing the sleeve of his t-shirt lazily.

"Did you forget buddy, you came in your own car! That shit box of yours that can't even hit 90mph!"Marco blurts with a hefty laugh, joined by Michael as they continued drinking from bottles of tequila and walking down the dimly lit street. With a sarcastic laugh James nods, turning on his heel and holding the keys out to Marco who snatched them back with his free hand.

Passing several paralleled parked cars, they arrive at Marco's 1997 Volkswagen, the bumper bar slightly dented and the back wheel hub caps missing. Michael drops his bottle of tequila, watching as it shatters upon hitting the concrete, the last drops of alcohol spattering the hem of his jeans.

"Aw fuck man! That was like my last bottle!" he curses, waving his arms in frustration. James shakes his head with a chuckle

"Don't worry man, there is plenty more of that stuff in town, ill see you guys there ok?" James gave a short wave as he walked across the street and toward a side street where his Toyota was parked, fiddling in his pockets for his keys as he vanished into the street. Opening the driver side door, Marco downed the last drop or tequila from his bottle, throwing the empty bottle into the back seat.

"Get in man, we have beat him to 'The Fiddler', prove myself right about that heap of his!" Marco gets into the car, Michael walks around to the front passenger side, as he opens the door the sound of a curdling scream stops him, he turns around looking toward the direction of the sound, and it came from the side street where James had parked his car.

Marco opens his door, stepping out of the car and walking toward the street, Michael follows, both leaving the cars doors wide open.

"What the hell was that?" Michael asks following behind Marco, wide eyed Marco shakes his head. They enter the street and not far away sits James's Toyota, the driver side door open but James is nowhere to be seen. They run to the door and back away with shock as the seat, steering wheel and inner door are splattered with blood.

Marco panics.

"JAMES! Oh my god, James where are you?" he screams into the night.

"Call the cops Michael!"

Michael reaches into his jeans pocket pulling out a cell phone, his vision slightly blurred he finds it hard to dial.

"I can't fucking see the numbers!" he shouts urgently, Marco snatches the phone and dials 911, after a few rings woman's voice answers.

"911 Emergency"

"Yes hello, please, please help us I think our friends been abducted…"

* * *

_NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Moday 30th July at 12:03 pm_

"In today's top stories, Police are still helpless in solving the disturbing increase in the cities kidnappings of young teenagers. As previously reported by channel 5, since the abduction of James Kinsky, the total has reached 56 and still none of the victims have been found. Chief Sterns has come on the record to say that whatever evidence is recovered will be released to this station the moment it comes to light." She changes her tone to a lighter one.

"Many Parents of the missing teenagers still hold out hope that the victims will be found alive, even though some have been missing for over 5 month." April looks down to her papers, shuffling to the next page, taking a deep breath.

"Also in the news today, the death of Scientist Professor Jordon Perry, a previous spokesman of TGRI and lobbyist for the removal of buried radio active waste throughout the state. His body found floating in the Hudson River early this morning, in what is being labeled by police an apparent suicide. Professor Perry was a driving force in the cleanup in New Jersey in previous years of radio active material..."April continues with the rest of the daily news, until after the weather is announced.

"So there you have it, a rainy day tomorrow in New York City, this is April O'Neil, Channel 9 daily news." As the camera man shouts cut, April lets out a long breath and stands up quickly from her seat, her hair tied back neatly in a bun she rushes from the news room. Power walking her way to her corner office she retrieves her bag, umbrella and changes out of her heels and into her sneakers from under her desk.

Taking the elevator down to the parking lot she reaches her car, exiting the parking lot she heads for home on a cloudy morning. Her mind pre occupied fully with Professor Perry's death, it seems so hard to believe, what reason could have possibly driven him to such an act. After all he had done, all he had planned to accomplish.

She interrupts her train of thought, remembering she had promised Casey she would pick up lunch on the way home. Turning into the next street she heads for the corner convenience store, "Chicken and avocado toasted sandwiches sounds good" she mumbles to herself.

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To be continued …. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Tears of the elate**

**Chapter 2**

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_NIAGARA, NEW YORK - Sunday 22nd July at 11:03am_

Heavy thick rain hammers down against eroded smooth rocks, the suns light blurred by a wall of water. His eyes had remained closed until now, opening them gently he blinks away the water interfering with his vision. It's hard to believe it's already morning, he could have sworn he had only closed his eyes for a moment.

Rising to his feet, he walks from the inner wall, the surrounding sound of water pounding down so deafening; he can scarcely hear himself think. Raphael tilts his head down walking through the wall of water, stepping out from behind the falls he looks down to the infinite drop before him. A rainbow reaches from top to bottom of the Niagara Falls. He has spent two days here, the load tourists in their boat below were too much, he's had enough, today is the day to move on.

"Fucking ball breakers" he sneers, spitting off the edge toward the tourist boat.

With water dripping down from every part of his body, Raphael begins the long decent to the base of the falls, where his supplies wait. He'd found a secure overhang near the base where very few reach, there he left his backpack. Climbing down most of the way, he somersaults when appropriate. A feeling of rejuvenation sweeps over him, after a sleepless night on the road, it's all was after.

He reaches the base and the overhang, rummaging through his backpack he finds a used towel, drying himself off he looks out to the water. The boat continues to linger, tourists so busy snapping photos of the falls, he could start singing and dancing with feathers on his head and they still wouldn't notice him.

He shakes his head, finding it hard to decide where to go next, he left New York City months ago. So long that he lost count of the weeks, having been through all the states on the east coast. Like a drug, travel, once you get a taste it pushes your to need more.

Packing the backpack, he walks around the rocky edging of the falls to his transport, parked away from the water sits a customized Kawasaki KLE500, Dark green, red and black color with a few personal touches on the wheels. Raphael stops beside the bike, pulling on the sleek, black custom sized helmet and slipping on a dark grey long sleeve top, a pair of black pants and a pair of boots. Getting on he powers up the bike, backpack slapped over his back.

His thoughts pass back to Casey Jones, without whom he would not have the machine that carries him.

"Hmph, old son of a bitch is good for more than just beating the shit out of" he mumbles with a grin. Powering up, he takes off across the landscape, in search of the nearest highway.

* * *

_NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK - Monday 30th July at 12:05pm_

The loud chatter of school students fills the subway entrance to the Museum of Natural History; the line is long, the heat from the subway making the girls hair curl into ringlets. Teacher Ms. Mary Goldberg tries hard to read the price list on the wall. The aging dark green background bleeds into the text, making it impossible.

"Class, please calm yourselves as you are not the only ones waiting, there are other people here who might enjoy a bit of quiet." She motions her hands downward like a conductor; slowly, the student's voices lower to a reasonable level.

"So, he was sitting like right across from me. But didn't even say hi, I mean he's like been staring at me for like weeks. So I did it!" Andrea announces her group of friends giggling, eager to know how she made the first move.

"Did what? What did you say?" Bianca asks, grinning ear to ear.

"I stuck out my hand, and said 'hi, im Andrea'" she reveals to her audience, acting out the scene. The girls giggle excitedly, commenting on how she must have him drooling over her as he is now asking for her number. From her uncontrollable giggling, Bianca steps back. Bumping her classmate.

"Sorry, Evelyn" she apologizes half laugh. Returning her attention to Andrea.

Evelyn looks up for but a second, breaking her concentration, still having trouble writing a next verse to her song. Finally the cue is moving; Evelyn follows along through to the foyer. The first stop is the mammal gallery; arriving at its entrance Ms. Goldberg gathers the students together.

"Alright everyone, you may explore this area on your own for 15 minutes and then meet back here. If you don't have a watch, stick with someone who does. I will do a head count once we regroup." With that Ms. Goldberg turns her attention to the exhibits; the students head off as well, in their own their little clicks and groups.

Evelyn sits beside the moose exhibit, trying to regain her concentration in this quieter area. She had never tried her hand at writing before, but an urge to express herself in a different way consuming her. So used to singing her feelings, writing seemed like the next best thing, but not as easy as she thought. Frustration looms, the words won't come to her and she tosses her pencil across the floor, skidding along with a light tapping sound. She watches a young boy retrieve then return it to her happily, she smiles accepting it from him.

"Thank you" she says. The boy smiles shyly, retreating to his mother's side, clutching the pocket of her black pants, looking back at Evelyn.

Its 1:58pm, the museum visit is over, the students are much quieter from having no energy to speak. By far the most favored exhibit was the planetarium; at least it was Evelyn's. The beauty of the presentation, the wonder it brought to her mind conjures the only genuine smile seen on her lips in weeks.

"Ok everyone, you may now leave on your own accord, either via subway of street level, please look after yourselves. Please take care to record all the information you took down today, as you will be assessed on it." Ms. Goldberg calls over the crowd of students.

What? Assessed!? Oh this is not going to be my day, she cant be serious. All she had done the entire visit was concern herself about this song, her failing singing voice and how much she hated going to a school so far from home.

As the students are dispersing, Evelyn catches a snide comment directed at her by one of the boys, something along the lines of 'hey miss opera, cat got your tongue?' The comment enough to make her eyes glaze over.

Before the infection hit, Evelyn could out sing most people in the school, including this boy's girlfriend, one of her competitors. The doctors words to her in his clinic brought both her and her mother to tears, years of grooming for a professional singing voice lost, wasted.

She wipes her bottom eyelids gently with the tip of her ring finger, careful not smudge her eyeliner. Without looking up, she rushes through the subway, through the sparse amount of people waiting and to the end of the platform. Stopping, she leans against the wall, sinking down it to a sitting position. Resting her hands on top of her bent knees.

"Why did this happen. Why do I have to be the one, what have I ever done to anyone?" She questions, knowing there are no answers to be given. Tears slowly well on the rims of her eyelids, her brown eyes close and they spill over onto her cheeks.

Sniffling, she looks around, there are a few people left on the platform as yet another B train approaches. She waits for the D train, there never seems to be enough of them. The B train comes to a screeching stop and a few individuals exit from the carriage apposite her; she observes each one in turn. A woman pushing a pram with a small black haired toddler strapped in, a man in a business suit pushing past the people in front to get by, a man in an ankle length trench coat with fedora and a group of girls with back packs heading toward the museum.

She longs to be the person she was, content with what she had; now it all seems like some old dream, or movie. No longer something she can see.

"Nothing lasts, why do they lie to you about that stuff when you're young?" she mumbles. Her parents try hard to make see that she can still be involved in music, just not in the same way. 'Well if it can't be in that way, then there is no way, she believes.

"Where are you?" She looks down the tunnel. The train is no where in sight, looking around the platform she finds it deserted. Deciding it best to ring home, reaches into her pocket and pulls out an old cell phone, dialing home she places it to her ear. Hearing a familiar beeping sound, she pulls the phone down to see the screen flashing an icon.

"This can't get any worse! Stupid hunk of junk!" she curses as the battery dies, the phone turning itself off.

Mum and dad will just have to wait till I get there. She stands. Walking toward the other end of the platform, it's so quiet it almost seems she is the only person on the planet; it's not even that late. She tucks a strand of her light brown hair back behind her ear, as she slows down to walk back, shadows overtake her stride.

Two young men appear in her path, she stops.

"Hey there cutie, going somewhere?" one asks, a confident smile on his face.

"Excuse me" she says and tries to walk past, they step in her path.

"Is there a problem here?" she snaps, her sharp wit manifesting as she looks back and forth between them. The first blonde with a black bandana around his head, the others head is shaved with a goatee beard and a diamond stud in his left ear.

"Did you hear that tone? She just questioned me. Didn't I ask her nicely?" the first remarks to his companion.

"Yeah I heard her, and if there was anyone else here on this platform, they would have too" he smirks smugly. Suddenly within the blink of an eye, the first one backhands Evelyn across the mouth and face, it hurt, it hurt allot, she backs away.

"Where do you think your going sweetheart, that's the wrong way" the second one calls, grinning. Evelyn turns to run, dropping her book she throws her pencil at them, it's useless they easily catch her. Each grasping an arm they lift her from the ground and start running back the other way, their foot steps silent. Evelyn kicks her legs out, hitting them most of the time but to no effect.

"Help! Please help me! Let me go you bastards, LET ME GO!" She screams, her mind races, fear overpowering the pain in her face and mouth, the faint taste of blood on her tongue.

The young men done attempt to stop her screaming, her throat burning she starts to cough. All she can do is watch the lights of the platform disappearing, as she is taken further into the tunnel.

* * *

To be continued….. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Tears of the elate**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

_NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:15pm_

A figure stalks the subway platform, their stride soundless and predatory, stopping; they kneel down to an object lying on the ground. Reaching out slowly they pick it up gingerly, shaking off the loose rubber flakes. Observing all its angels carefully, they turn it around to view the front; raising their eyebrows at what is written. Footsteps and voices distracts him, he stands tucking the object inside his coat. Relaxing, he continues waiting for the next train, standing toward the back of the platform with his hands in his pockets.

Down the tunnel a set of lights appears, brightening with each passing second. The D train arrives, screeching to a stop the doors fling open. He boards at the back carriage; it's deserted with all but one other person, reading the New York Post. They sit, hands still in pockets they sink into the coats collar. The doors close quickly with a thud and the train departs the platform.

* * *

_NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:18pm_

The shiny new set of keys enters the lock on the outside of the door. With her free hand, April turns the key, effortlessly unlocking the newly replaced locks.

"Casey?" she calls, entering and pushing the door closed with the toe of her sneakers.

"Hello, anyone home?" She calls again, briefly looking in the rooms she passes on her way to the kitchen. The sun decided to show itself, shining through the slightly parted kitchen curtains. Dropping her two brown paper bags on the table, she slips her bag off her shoulder, hanging it on the back of one of the wooden chairs.

Untying her hair, she ruffles it out gently with her fingers, letting the natural waves fall down past her neck and shoulders. Looking over at the fridge, her breath catches in her throat, a yellow posted note with a roughly written message sits on the freezer door. She storms over, snatching it off.

"Babe, gone to the game, love Casey" she reads aloud. Pursing her lips she scrunches the note in her hand, tossing it into the sink.

"Well, im not waiting." She opens one of the brown paper bags, taking out her chicken avocado toasted sandwich and bottle of Minute Maid juice. It's still warm, so she doesn't bother turning on the grill; breaking the seal and removing the cap, she takes a quick sip of the juice.

Placing the sandwich on a flat plate, she decides to eat in the lounge where she can put her feet up and catch some TV. Entering, she places the plate and juice down on the wooden coffee table. Her eye catches the flashing light of the answering machine on top of the TV. Walking over, she presses down on the flashing button and waits beside it.

_"You have... 3 new messages, message received today at 10:15am"_ a computerized woman's voice announces.

"This call is for Mrs. April Jones, please call me back on 718 653 099 to discuss your Sony payments. Thank you" April Rolls her eyes, she is going to get rid of that service.

_"Message received today at 11:27am"_

"Oh, im sorry I must have the wrong number…" A woman's voice says.

"You sure do" April replies, returning to her plate she start on her sandwich, waiting carelessly for the last message.

_"Message received today at 12:05 pm..."_

"…Hey April, I guess your not home, could you please call me when you get there, I really need to talk to you about the Professor. Uh see you then, bye" April's eyes widen, freezing her chewing and drops sandwich onto her plate.

A voice she hasn't heard in months, in fact she hasn't heard from any of the brothers in months. Only a quick mention from Casey that he saw Raphael weeks ago, but no details. Any phone calls she made went unanswered. She jumps from the couch, quickly chewing and swallowing her mouth full she grasps her address book from beside the TV. Listed under D was the number, her finger runs down the page until she comes to it, 'Donny'

* * *

_NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:24pm_

Silence ensues, the block clad residence brightly lit, only a faint sound echoes against the glass ceiling. Flanking the wall on the far side of their home of two years, a hammer is banging nails into new planks of pinewood; the ground below littered with tiny wood-chips, sawdust and bowed nails.

"Ouch! Not again!" Leonardo snaps, hammering his finger instead of the nail head. He looks up at his incomplete development; it's been a hard 3 months of work, but it has to be perfect. No cutting corners and no rushing, this will be the place he dreamed of having, not only for himself, his brothers and master would be welcome there also.

Hammering another nail in, an unfamiliar but recognized sound interrupts the silence of the den. He stops and waits, in case he is hearing things, then he hears it again.

"The phone?" he questions in shock. Looking down he ponders the best way to descend, he is close to 3 stories from the ground. Carefully placing the nails back into a container strapped to the support beam, he places the hammer between his teeth. Gently standing, he leaps from the beam, somersaulting through the air with his arms and legs tucked in, flinging his hands out when close to the ground. Pushing off from it with his fingertips, he takes a forward summersault, landing on his feet.

Jogging to the other end of the tram to the phone box. It really is the phone ringing. Removing the hammer from his mouth, he hesitates for a moment before picking it up.

"Hello?" he asks, suspiciously.

"Hello? Leo? Is that you?" a familiar woman's voice calls into his ear.

"April?" He asks after a pause. "oh my gosh, how are you?" He asks in excitement.

"I'm great! How are you, how are the guys and how's splinter?" She calls. Leonardo leans back against the tram, dropping the hammer on the ground beside him.

"Everything ok here April, gees I haven't spoken to you for so long. How is everything going, we noticed your on channel 9 not 3 anymore, what happened there? He asks.

"The job just wasn't paying the bills and I got a better offer. Also the station is closer to home now" She replies.

"Yeah I can understand that, makes it much easier. Hey wait, you and Casey got married didn't you? Way to go April, please accept my sincerest congratulations!" Leonardo offers, genuinely happy for her.

"Thanks Leo, you know you guys were invited to the civil ceremony, im still wondering why none of you showed up." She questions, Leonardo blinks in surprise.

"You did? I'm afraid we never received any invitations, im very sorry April. We actually thought you didn't want us there, we understood though" Leonardo explains, apologetically.

"What? That is not true Leo, you guys are important to me and to Casey, it was important that you guys be there, I am sorry they never arrived…wait, then how did you know we got married?" She asks, confused and curious.

"Well, actually Raphael was the first to say something; he saw Casey about a year ago or something and said he was wearing a wedding ring. Then the news said their star reporter at channel 9 tied the knot." He advises with a chuckle. April laughs but in her mind wondered, a year ago? Casey mentioned seeing Raphael a few weeks ago.

* * *

To be continued… 


	4. Chapter 4

**Tears of the elate**

**Chapter 4**

* * *

_NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – Monday 30th July, 2:28pm_

Out of the corner of his eye, Leonardo sees a figure approaching, he turns toward them with the phone still to his ear. Donatello stops beside him mouthing 'is that April?' Leonardo nods, Donatello asks for the phone, twiddling his fingers. Around his neck is a 2 gigabyte memory stick and set of keys with several colorful key rings.

"Hey April, Donny's here and he wants to speak to you, it looks urgent" Leonardo states, watching Donatello beg for the phone is a sight.

"That's why I called, im returning his message. Leo, it's so wonderful to talk to you, I hope I see you really soon" Her eyes beginning to water; she wants desperately to hear from Donatello, but doesn't want to let Leonardo off the phone.

"Me too, I promise you we will meet up again soon, seeya April." He ends the conversation, passing the phone to Donatello who plants it to his ear.

"April? Hey it's Donny!" He announces.

"Awe Don, when I heard the message I almost didn't believe it, how are you?"

"I'm good, just in shock at what you said on the news this morning. Please, I need to know everything, tell me what you know about the professor." He demands as he starts to pace back and forth along the tram, as far as the phones stretched cord allows. From the sidelines Leonardo watches, his younger brother has become somewhat of a hermit, his skin lightened from lack of sunlight and not leaving the den.

"Well I know as much as you, as much as what I said on the report this morning. I'm having a hard time believing what's happened too but..." she didn't finish her sentence as Donatello interrupts.

"That's because it's not true, he wouldn't have done that because he had too much he wanted to accomplish. I need to know more April, please, it's very important." He begs.

"Donny I want to know more as well, how about I come down and we can see what else we can work out, I don't have to go back to work until tomorrow." she suggests, there is a pause.

"… sure, it would be nice to see you. I know Mike would be thrilled if you suddenly show up. Ill let Splinter know and one of us will come and get you." Donatello replies. Switching the phone to his other ear he looks into the tram where Splinter is meditating.

Leonardo could hear the manhole cover being lifted, the chafing of the lid against the ground. From around the corner and staircase, a fedora and trench coat clothed figure enters, removing the coat they look to Donatello, letting out an ecstatic chuckle.

"Dude, it's a miracle you walked away from that desk, who's on the phone?" Michelangelo asks, tossing the waistcoat onto a couch.

"Yuck, you need to wash that things, look at it, how can you wear it?" Leonardo's nose wrinkles as he points to the handed down waistcoat, Michelangelo smiles.

"Because I always wanted it, no one here is missing it and it fits me now." He replies, leaving the Fedora on his head, he walks up beside Donatello.

"Who is it bro?" he asks.

Donatello pulls the phone away from his mouth.

"April" he whispers while covering the receiver, Michelangelo does a double take, his mouth hanging open.

"Give me the phone, gimme!" he shouts, reaching for the phone. Donatello pulls it out of his reach, elbowing him away with his muscular arm while trying to get a last word in.

"Ok, ill talk to Splinter and maybe Leo can come and get you" he says, still fighting off Michelangelo

"Can't you just come and get me yourself, I can be there in 30 minutes?" she asks, confused by his reasoning and all the shuffling coming from the other end.

"What, not a possibility; just talking on this phone now is wasting precious turtle hour. April, look, im about to get bathed in Mike's slobber if I don't pass the phone to him, ill be back in a sec" Donatello passes the phone and steps into the tram to interrupt his masters meditation.

"BABE! I DON'T _BELIEVE_ IT!" Michelangelo shouts down the phone, adding kisses. April giggles.

"Mikey, oh Mike is it really you? I miss you so much!" She says, his voice has deepened but the warmth will never change. It's always sweet Michelangelo.

"Me too, so how's it hanging Mrs. Casey Jones? Man, I can't believe you guys tied the knot and where was my invitation? I have to know if I lost you to a better man!" he folds his arms, cradling the phone on his shoulder.

"Ah doesn't matter, I understand perfectly but when are we gonna meet up? I need to see you guys again!" He asks eagerly, taking the phone back in his hand.

"Well im actually hoping to drop by today, Don wants to talk about my news report this morning." She replies, Michelangelo sucks in a breath of shock.

"Today? Awesome! Ill come and get you!" He offers

"That would be great, should I just go to the entrance I always used? The one on 23rd street? " She asks.

"Actually, that doors been blocked off, too many delivery guys knew about it so we don't use it anymore. There's another one on 26th street, ill come there and pick you up?" He offers, spotting Donatello through the tram window, giving him the OK to do so.

"Great, ill be there in about 40 minutes. Hey Mike I talked to Leo and Donny but I dint get a chance to speak to Raph, is he around?" April asks. She couldn't believe she was going to see her friends again. She waits for the 'sure ill get him for you' from Mike, but all she receives is silence, only his breath brushing the receiver.

"Uh, well he's kinda not home right now sis, but hey ill be there before you are, ill keep a lookout for you at 26th street" He confirms.

April felt a lump of concern in her gut, Raphael would take off constantly but the way Michelangelo responded just didn't feel right, but she ignores her worry momentarily.

"No problems Mike, ill be there, see you!" She calls and the phone goes dead.

Michelangelo hangs up, excited he reaches for his trench coat and starts running for the manhole.

"Awesome dudes! I'm going to pick up April." he calls over his shoulder.

"Mike, wait!" Leonardo calls after him, Michelangelo slows down.

"Did she say anything about Raph?" He asks, Michelangelo shakes his head.

"No, she just asked if she could talk to him, told her he wasn't home" he answers, running up the stairs.

Leonardo nods, slowly turning he starts back for his development, stopping when Donatello exits the tram. Leonardo's eyebrows turning serious.

"You know Don, you didn't have to be so rude to April on the phone" Donatello stops and looks at him blankly for a moment, then looks down, frowning.

"I didn't realize at the time, guess I need to brush up on my social skills huh? I didn't mean it Leo, it's just that well, what's happened is not a good thing" he explains.

Leonardo nods sympathetically, patting Donatello on the shoulder and entering the tram.

He stops; dropping to his knees, placing his palms together he gently bows his head. The warm glow of candles creating a familiar, safe sensation in his heart.

"Something troubles you my son, your mind has been preoccupied for many days." Splinters aging voice states, his hands in his lap he relaxes from his meditation. Leonardo raises his head and nods.

"Yes Master, I have been thinking about many things, mainly …" Leonardo trails off.

"Your brother will return my son; he is not lost to us entirely." Splinter comforts, taking a ceramic teacup with Japanese symbols printed along the rim in his hand, holding it out.

Leonardo accepts it, gently sipping the green tea. He stops, lost in thought for a moment.

"When master, can you tell me?" he asks, looking into his masters eyes, the fur of his eyebrows have turned white over the past year.

"No, I cannot as I myself have no means of knowing. And there is no way for us to help him, only he may find his path to peace, I may only be here as a guide as are your and your other brothers." Splinter explains, knowing well the pain the three are feeling from their brothers absents. Privately concerned, as divide has also developed between the remaining three.

* * *

To be continued… 


End file.
